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Two top middleweight contenders will meet in December at UFC 155 when Chris Weidman (9-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) takes on Tim Boetsch (16-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC).

Multiple outlets, including foxsports.com and newsday.com, today reported that verbal agreements are in place. MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) subsequently confirmed it, and UFC executives have made it official.

The fight will be part of the main card of UFC 155, which takes place Dec. 29 in Las Vegas at a venue to be announced.

The main card, including a heavyweight title fight between champion Junior Dos Santos and former titleholder Cain Velasquez, airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and Facebook.

Weidman, who had hoped a recent beatdown of highly ranked Mark Munoz would give him a shot at champion Anderson Silva's middleweight title, instead will look to continue his unbeaten run intact when he meets a fellow contender. Weidman, an NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, is a little more than three years into his pro career. He joined the UFC in early 2011 and posted dive straight wins while knocking off notables Demian Maia and Munoz in his most recent appearances.

He takes on Boetsch, who's 5-1 in his most recent UFC stint (and 8-1 since a UFC 96 loss to Jason Brilz). However, Boetsch, a fellow Division I wrestler, has really hit his stride since a move down from light heavyweight. Since that drop in weight class, he's posted consecutive wins over Kendall Grove, Nick Ring, former title challenger Yushin Okami and ex-Bellator champ Hector Lombard.

Can't say I like this match up. I was hoping for Belcher vs Boetsch but I can't expect Boetsch to just wait until Alan is healthy again.

Although the division was booming a while back, it's pretty dead now. Sonnen moved up, Belfort is fighting Jones for whatever reason, Belcher is injured, Lombard got beat etc. Weidman is the only solid contender until Belcher comes back.

I hate this fight. Weidman gets a title shot because Lombard looked shit.

Boetsch is a terrible fighter, and only is in his current position because Hector just stood on the outside and ate his pusy leg kicks. Weidman is now put against him, and with the win over a "top contender" he will earn the title shot. It's a joke. Hell even putting him in there with Lombard is more note worthy than this. It's a complete mismatch imo. Even Franklin would have been a tougher match than this, and it'd have just been Griffin x2.

Tim has been winning, so what is UFC to do? They have to move him up the ranks to greater competition. Weidman will expose him for the average fighter he is, but that 's hardly the UFC's fault. Blame Lombard for being such an absolute dink in his debut fight. Simple as.

Can't say I like this match up. I was hoping for Belcher vs Boetsch but I can't expect Boetsch to just wait until Alan is healthy again.

Although the division was booming a while back, it's pretty dead now. Sonnen moved up, Belfort is fighting Jones for whatever reason, Belcher is injured, Lombard got beat etc. Weidman is the only solid contender until Belcher comes back.

Isn't Shields moving up? Not that it suddenly makes the division amazing but it should be interesting.

Tim has been winning, so what is UFC to do? They have to move him up the ranks to greater competition. Weidman will expose him for the average fighter he is, but that 's hardly the UFC's fault. Blame Lombard for being such an absolute dink in his debut fight. Simple as.

Weidman is winning, but he's not fighting greater competition? Infact, he's fighting the second most overrated fighter at MW (after himself). Is that the best selling point of this fight? Until he beats someone who could legitimatley make a claim for the title, I don't see why anyone would consider Weidman to be the best contender. He might be beating guys who are high on the ranks, but until he beats someone that might pose some sort of challenge on paper and is a top ranked guy, I don't see why. I think Michael Bisping gives him a hell of a fight, as he's a good stand up fighter and managed to hold off Sonnen's masterclace of wrestling.

Weidman is winning, but he's not fighting greater competition? Infact, he's fighting the second most overrated fighter at MW (after himself). Is that the best selling point of this fight? Until he beats someone who could legitimatley make a claim for the title, I don't see why anyone would consider Weidman to be the best contender. He might be beating guys who are high on the ranks, but until he beats someone that might pose some sort of challenge on paper and is a top ranked guy, I don't see why. I think Michael Bisping gives him a hell of a fight, as he's a good stand up fighter and managed to hold off Sonnen's masterclace of wrestling.

Bisping is already lined up to fight Stann. I doubt Weidman would want to wait another 5-6 months to fight. Vitor and Sonnen have moved up. Belcher, who is insanely overrated, is out with an injury. Who else is there for Weidman to fight in the meantime? The fact is, Tim knocked out Okami, who recently fought for the title. And he defeated Lombard, a top ranked MW by anyone in the know (though I put more emphasis on Hector losing the fight for himself than Tim actually winning it). All that to say that Tim is up there, and he's one of very few names currently available.

Besides, Weidman made Munoz look like an amateur. And I know everyone dismisses Mark now, but the fact is, a year ago, people were calling for him to fight for the title. It's amazing how quickly talk can go from 'He ought to challenge Anderson' to 'He was never that good' following a loss. Happened to Stann, and now it's happening to Munoz. Nine times out of ten, it's just dodgy fans trying to discredit a fighter's record (Sonnen's after defeating Stann, and now Weidman's after defeating Munoz).

Not to mention, where does it say that this is for a title shot? Dana has a legitimate hard-on for Bisping, and there's nothing to say that if Mike beats Stann and Weidman defeats Boetsch, we won't see a title eliminator. This is especially likely if UFC ultimately goes the route of Silva vs. St. Pierre.

Bisping is already lined up to fight Stann. I doubt Weidman would want to wait another 5-6 months to fight. Vitor and Sonnen have moved up. Belcher, who is insanely overrated, is out with an injury. Who else is there for Weidman to fight in the meantime? The fact is, Tim knocked out Okami, who recently fought for the title. And he defeated Lombard, a top ranked MW by anyone in the know (though I put more emphasis on Hector losing the fight for himself than Tim actually winning it). All that to say that Tim is up there, and he's one of very few names currently available.

Besides, Weidman made Munoz look like an amateur. And I know everyone dismisses Mark now, but the fact is, a year ago, people were calling for him to fight for the title. It's amazing how quickly talk can go from 'He ought to challenge Anderson' to 'He was never that good' following a loss. Happened to Stann, and now it's happening to Munoz. Nine times out of ten, it's just dodgy fans trying to discredit a fighter's record (Sonnen's after defeating Stann, and now Weidman's after defeating Munoz).

Not to mention, where does it say that this is for a title shot? Dana has a legitimate hard-on for Bisping, and there's nothing to say that if Mike beats Stann and Weidman defeats Boetsch, we won't see a title eliminator. This is especially likely if UFC ultimately goes the route of Silva vs. St. Pierre.

Bisping Vs Stann - September 22
Weidman Vs Boetsch - December 29

Over 3 months Bisping/Stann would have to prepare for that fight. Weidman wouldn't have to wait a day longer. Getting a title shot by beating Boetsch makes beating Munoz look like you knocked out Mike Tyson on XARM. Chael Sonnen's warrented more to fight Jon Jones by having a twitter account than Weidman would do by beating Boetsch. Bisping/Stann Vs Weidman is the only way to have a legit contender imo. As I said aswell, even Lombard Vs Weidman means SO much more than a win over Tim would, regardless of Lombard Vs Tim's result.

I never have called for Munoz to fight for the title and think Okami would have easily knocked out Munoz the way he performed against Weidman. I felt like Sonnen earned his shot after beating Stann. He looked great and Stann looked to put up some resistance. Munoz looked like shit by even walking to the ring. I'm not discrediting anyone. Munoz is not a good enough name to beat to challenge for the title, and Boetsch is even worse.